Passionfruit - what's the issue here?

rayonline_tm, Oct 19, 12:49am
We tried to grow passionfruit a year or two ago and just got another one less than a month ago and we get the same symptoms. Sort of like star shaped leaves.

On this time, we dug a hole by the fence, watered it, added some compost and some citrus fertiliser and popped the plant in.

Link to an image:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/coxbgtwbcc1ui12/2015-10-18%2017.29.51.jpg?dl=0

spiritofgonzo, Oct 19, 1:11am
Could be a few things. First thought is this: The burnt leaf is probably just windburn. The smaller leaves though show signs of nutrient deficiency, and the established weeds around the base suggest maybe that you might not have dug a very big hole and mixed the compost into the soil? The second thought: did you mix the fertiliser and compost into the soil enough? The burnt leaf could be fertiliser burn, and believe it or not if a young plant is bombed with synthetic fertilisers before having the chance for its roots to get established it will burn the tender New roots, fill the plants cells with sugars and reduce its abilities to absorb water. This is why you dig a hole much deeper than the rootball and mix the fertiliser into the soil so when it's roots grow it then starts to take in the fertiliser, not straight onto the roots. Third option: could be a soil borne disease in that spot. How to fix? It looks healthy enough otherwise. If it has been in for a while then certainly give it some fertiliser as it looks like it needs some, and it should bounce away.

maclad, Oct 19, 1:19am
I would be inclined to fertilize it and add compost and remove the growth around it. Otherwise, as stated, it seems to be pretty much OK. Lots of water in summer and keep roots cool.

rayonline_tm, Oct 19, 1:28am
Ok thanks. I read about adding Sulphate of Potash?

maclad - what did you mean by "remove the growth around it"? You mean the weed etc around it?

gabbysnana, Oct 19, 1:32am
The one i bought from bunnings a month ago looked like yours, it struggled it died. Today i planted two good looking plants i got from warehouse, they look like commercial plants, huge leaves, rich green colour, good looking sturdy stalks. Plenty of shoots already.

spiritofgonzo, Oct 19, 1:32am
Just add a general fertiliser and water in well, you can add potash as well if you want. Mclad would have been referring to the weeds around the base. I'd add some compost around the base too to keep the roots cool. Good point mclad.

maclad, Oct 19, 1:45am
Yes I was referring to all the growth around the base of the plant.

lythande1, Oct 19, 1:19pm
Not much of a garden for it, all that grass and stuff.
Dig it out properly, and keep it clear of weeds, mulch it, will help with that and keeping it from drying out.

Feed it lots, citrus fertiliser is good, water well when dry.
Protect from frosts too.

rayonline_tm, Oct 20, 1:05am
Where it is grown is grass beside the fence.

Behind the house is a hill which the previous owner did some landscaping. Pix attached. This summer I will either success or give up and stick with pots. I have a blueberry tree in a pot sucessfully with peat and orchard mix (50/50).

Will visit my local suburban gardener. I went to Bunnings and was going to buy a soil pH tester that also measures light and moisture. Worth it? We added a lot of compost we find that it dries out. The compost was maybe last year mixed with blood/bone if you added a 1/3 of a watering can the water floods on the top but if you dig into it you will find it is still dry underneath and sandy. Same if we use a Styrofoam container like those from the fish wholesales. We put in 100% new compost these were last year, we added blood/bone.

Sandy compost:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/gz8elfe5yl330pm/2015-10-19%2019.00.29.jpg?dl=0 Back of the house: https://www.dropbox.com/s/udiuekz1i54visd/2015-10-19%2018.50.26.jpg?dl=0

Back of the house:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/5exr47p0qrysonb/2015-10-19%2018.46.55.jpg?dl=0 Most sucessful lemon tree: https://www.dropbox.com/home/Camera%20Uploads?preview=2015-10-19+18.47.28.jpg

Bought last year

This is under those steps which gives an idea what is underneath it:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/yqni4vsga840f1v/2015-10-19%2018.49.28.jpg?dl=0

The only things we have grown are lettuce and spring onions and peach trees.

hawkemoon1, Aug 26, 4:57am
First time with a passionfruit vine. Has about 20 little fruits on their way. Are the birds crazy on passionfruit?. Should I think about mesh over when the fruit forms?. Have a huge pear tree, that gets 1000's of pears, and the birds get the lot, dont mind, but I would really like to have some passionfruit. Cheers everyone.